Supporting Rural Health Centres in Ethiopia

It is a sad fact that many epileptic patients face the danger of falling into open fire made for cooking or other reasons. Fall from high while collecting twigs for firewood and drowning in the rainy season in the flooding rivers are some other causes of major disability and death.

A 16 years old school girl had a seizure and fell into open cooking fire while helping her mother, who supports the family selling injera. The mother was around to take her out of the fire but not soon enough to avoid severe burn to the face. After recovery with a very scarred face, the girl refused to go back to school for fear that her looks would frightens off younger students and also bring her stigma among her peers. Her chances of education and forming a family when coming to age all gone together. She continues to live with her mother

Such tragedies can be effectively prevented through early detection, control of seizures with anticonvulsant drugs and health education. After injury a quick and appropriate burn management and Rehabilitative measures for those who have developed serious disability would also be crucial. Decentralization of services through training of nurses in the primary care setting which are far more  accessible to the victims in terms of distance would give the opportunity for early detection and control of seizures and when this have failed an early burn treatment and referral in severe cases will significantly reduce the burden of permanent disability to these patients

Nazif and his young son Muawz have come by public transport to Seka health centre today for a follow-up appointment for Muawz’s epilepsy. Muawz was diagnosed with epilepsy 2 years ago and has been coming with his father to appointments every month since to collect medicine and update the health care workers on his condition. Prior to starting treatment, Muawz was having a seizure almost every day, often 6 times a week. It had made Nazif’s work as a farmer more difficult as he had to take care of his son. Although Muawz still now has seizures too regularly, things have improved since then and they appreciate how the clinic has helped them.

Yasume is 63 years old and has come 2 hours from home today to Serbo Health Centre with her husband and her young daughter, who has been feeling unwell for the past few days. After looking after the daughter, the health officer spoke to Yasume about her high blood pressure, which she was diagnosed with two years ago. At the time her symptoms (headaches, palpitations and swollen ankles) were badly affecting her and making housework difficult. When she came to the clinic two years ago her blood pressure was measured and found to be high; she was started on medication straight away. Now Yasume comes to the clinic every month to collect her medication and see the chronic disease health officer, who checks her blood pressure, asks about symptoms and prescribes another month of drug treatment. Her symptoms no longer cause her trouble and Yasume says she’s feeling a lot better.

Misku is 26 and she hass had epilepsy for 12 years. She lives 3 hours from the health centre and works at home cooking and cleaning. Before starting treatment at the health centre, she was having a seizure at least every week. Nowadays, however, she rarely seizes at all, though has had attacks during labour. She comes regularly for her appointments and to collect her seizure medicine, phenobarbitone. Misku acknowledges the treatment has made her feel a lot better.

We rely on generous donations to support and provide treatment to individuals just like Misku, giving them an improved quality of life.

Takelech is 67 and was found to have high blood pressure 7 years ago. At the time she was having palpitations and often felt dizzy. She has always worked at home, cooking and cleaning, but before she was diagnosed she would often have to stop working after fainting or feeling too dizzy to continue. Since coming to the health centre and starting on drug treatment, HCT, she feels much better and her symptoms have resolved, which means she finds it easier to work.

She lives an hour away, on foot from the health centre and says she will continue to come and attend regular appointments and collect her medication. 

Links:

• Search for the THET Ethiopia NCD Alliance on Google